Dyson's new launches are proof that branching out isn't always a good thing

Dyson recently launched three new home appliances: a wet floor cleaner, the Clean+Wash Hygiene, a robot vacuum, the Spot+Scrub Ai, and a regular vacuum, the PencilVac Fluffycones. Of the three, the manual vacuum stands head-and-shoulders above the others.

It makes sense: Dyson has long been considered the vacuum king. There are decades of expertise to draw on there. The other products? Not so much.

It's further convinced me of something I've been thinking about for some time: that brands should lean into what they're good at, rather than trying to be everything to everyone. I don't mean just making one type of product, but I do mean focusing on the expertise you have in your business and looking to maximize it.

Getting experimental

On the surface of it, branching from vacuum to robot vacuum seems pretty logical. Except it's not. Suction – which Dyson does know about – is only a tiny piece of it. Arguably, the software side is much more important. A great cleaning algorithm and reliable navigation are crucial, and none of Dyson's handful of robot vacuum attempts have shone in these areas.

Dyson has also ported in manual vacuum features. I'm not sure whether this is an attempt to connect it to the rest of its products or because it thinks these features make sense in a robot vacuum, but to me, they're not a good fit. Dirt-illuminating laser LEDs are unnecessary here, and the transparent dock dust cup is unwanted.

The Clean+Wash Hygiene is similarly slightly underwhelming. There's no suction (which is fine, although again, it feels like it's not playing to Dyson's strengths), but instead uses a well-designed roller and even water flow to remove solid and/or liquid dirt from your hard floors.

It works fine, but in terms of features, it's notably behind the folks that have been doing wet cleaners for a while – Tineco and Bissell, to name a few. Unfortunately, Dyson's pricing doesn't reflect the short featurelist.

Pencil me in

Then we come to the PencilVac Fluffycones. This is Dyson's area of expertise, and boy does it show. We don't just have a passably good product; we have one that outshines all the competition and introduces something genuinely new to the market.

For the PencilVac, Dyson shrunk all the component parts of a vacuum cleaner down and stuck them in a broom-shaped handle. The result is a machine that's ultra-streamlined, lightweight, and a dream to use. I think it might truly change the vacuum market.

Dyson PencilVac Fluffycones Review:  ABSOLUTELY Sold on This Innovative Design - YouTube

Watch On

Another area where Dyson has successfully transferred its expertise is haircare. Although on the surface, it seemed like quite the pivot when the brand first announced its Supersonic dryer, it actually makes a lot of sense.

Dyson is skilled at moving air – it's what makes it so prevalent in the vacuum cleaner and fan/purifier spaces – so it follows that it could make a great hair dryer.

Staying in your lane

Dyson isn't the only brand interested in expanding its horizons. At the start of the year, Dreame announced it its entry into... well, just about every home category I can think of. I expressed my concerns that it'd be able to maintain the high standards I've seen so far in its robot vacuums and hair stylers.

I'm all for pushing boundaries, but I also think it's worth playing to your strengths. Not all home brands can offer everything under one roof, and that's fine.

The best Dyson vacuums

➡️ Read our full guide to the best Dyson vacuums
1. Best overall:
Dyson V15 Detect
2. Runner-up:
Dyson V11
3. Best affordable:
Dyson V8
4. Best upright:
Dyson Ball Animal

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